water-recyling-shower / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Grey water and heat recovery shower
Bathrooms

EcoVéa: recycled and cleaned shower water

After recently posting a story sharing the brilliance that is the Swedish Orbsys water and heat recycling shower, it was brought to our attention that there is a homegrown Canadian variety as well. The EcoVéa shower by Reveeco is made in Quebec, Canada, and works based on the same principles as the Orbys we recently wr...

Reduce water consumption with residential gray water recycling systems
Plumbing and water heaters

Gray water recycling

What is gray water? Or indeed grey water! The term “gray water” refers to all domestic waste water that is drained from sinks, showers, bathtubs and washing machines. While gray water can be reused, water from kitchen sinks or dishwashers is generally not recycled as it contains substantial amounts of grease and organi...

Ecodrain greywater heat recovery unit
Greywater Heat Recovery

A new design in greywater heat recovery

Sustainable construction is on the move! It seems almost every day a new and innovative product shows up on the market that is more efficient, more effective, greener and healthier. We regularly cruise the web looking for such gems and our latest find is a new system for greywater heat recovery that looks quite promisi...

Hydraloop gray water recovery and treatment systems
Greywater Recycling

At last, a compact & easy to maintain solution for gray water recycling & treatment - the Hydraloop

At last, a packaged solution for gray water treatment & recycling - the Hydraloop Reducing home water consumption is an increasingly important issue, as the world is already facing a global water shortage crisis. We don’t think much about it in Canada & America because most of us have yet to suffer the extreme ...

Outdoor solar shower
Solar thermal collectors

DIY solar hot water shower for the great outdoors

It might seem like pie in the sky, but with these easy to read DIY instructions from the good folks at the Endeavour Centre your dream of a warm, net-zero shower is well within reach.  This tutorial will show you how to make excellent use of an easy to put together, handmade, solar hot water system. Use it to build the...

Grey Water Recycling Never Looked Better
Greywater Recycling

Greywater recycling never looked better

The Eco Bath concept is simple: use the waste water from the sink to flush the adjoining toilet. The execution is nothing less than stylish. Though compact, the Eco Bath’s water tank is comprised of two compartments, one that holds drainage water from the adjoining sink and one that contains fresh water in case the nee...

Are low-flow shower heads worth the money?
Bathrooms

Are low-flow shower heads worth the money?

Are low flow shower heads worth it? So, let's start with this somewhat shocking reality -  North Americans will on average use over 1.4 million litres of water per year, or about 4 to 5 times that of most European citizens. This is according to the SDWF (Safe Drinking Water Foundation). That makes Canada and the US the...

Off-grid and Net-Zero Housing

A Toronto Off-grid home 20 years later; how did it fare? How could it be optimized?

In 1996, this off-grid house designed by architect Martin Liefhebber was one of two concept homes selected by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) as part of their Healthy Housing Design Competition. What was to be built was a three-bedroom semi-detached home on a small lot in downtown Toronto, And beyon...

the installation of a LucidPipe power generator via Lucid Energy
Micro-hydroelectric

Portland, Oregon will Soon Generate Hydroelectric Power in Water Pipes Under City Streets.

Hydroelectric power generation is definitely renewable but not always 'green' when you consider all the side effects, especially when it comes to large hydroelectric dams. In the quest to find alternative power sources to replace fossil fuels, the energy that can be harnessed from moving water is leading to some impres...

Water efficient bathroom fixtures
Plumbing and water heaters

Plumbing & water

Home water consumption in Canada: On average, Canadians use over 300 litres of water per person, per day. Compare this to consumption in the UK of 200 litres per day, and 150 litres per person per day in France. Hopefully, as we see the beginnings of water shortages hit closer to home, this serious issue will garnish m...

The Best 10 Energy Saving Tips for Green Homes - EcoHome
Wall assemblies - renovation

Green home improvements: an energy-saving pyramid scheme that actually works!

The best tips to save money & reduce bills? First of all, the best way to reduce bills & save money is to spend as little as possible for the maximum return, as not everyone who wants to be 'green' has a wad of bills they can throw at the latest and greatest renewable technologies for sustainable homes. So wher...